different between thunder vs bluster

English

Etymology

From Middle English thunder, thonder, thundre, thonre, thunnere, þunre, from Old English þunor (“thunder”), from Proto-West Germanic *þunr, from Proto-Germanic *þunraz, from Proto-Indo-European *(s)ten-, *(s)tenh?- (“to thunder”).

Compare astound, astonish, stun. Germanic cognates include West Frisian tonger, Dutch donder, German Donner, Old Norse Þórr (English Thor), Danish torden, Norwegian Nynorsk tore. Other cognates include Persian ????? (tondar), Latin ton?, deton?, Ancient Greek ????? (stén?), ??????? (stenáz?), ?????? (stónos), ??????? (Stént?r), Irish torann, Welsh taran, Gaulish Taranis. Doublet of donner.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /???nd?/
• (General American) enPR: th?n?d?r, IPA^(key): /???nd?/
• Rhymes: -?nd?(?)
• Hyphenation: thun?der

Noun

thunder (countable and uncountable, plural thunders)

1. The loud rumbling, cracking, or crashing sound caused by expansion of rapidly heated air around a lightning bolt.

2. A deep, rumbling noise resembling thunder.

3. An alarming or startling threat or denunciation.
   • 1847, William H. Prescott, A History of the Conquest of Peru

     The thunders of the Vatican could no longer strike into the heart of princes.

4. (obsolete) The discharge of electricity; a thunderbolt.
5. (figuratively) The spotlight.

Usage notes

• roll, clap, peal are some of the words used to count thunder e.g. A series of rolls/claps/peals of thunder were heard

Derived terms

Translations

See also

• lightning

Descendants

• Tagalog: tanda

Verb

thunder (third-person singular simple present thunders, present participle thundering, simple past and past participle thundered)

1. To produce thunder; to sound, rattle, or roar, as a discharge of atmospheric electricity; often used impersonally.

2. (intransitive) To make a noise like thunder.

3. (intransitive) To talk with a loud, threatening voice.
4. (transitive) To say (something) with a loud, threatening voice.

5. To produce something with incredible power

Conjugation

Derived terms

• (to say something with a loud, threatening voice): thunderer

Translations

See also

• thundering

Middle English

Noun

thunder

1. Alternative form of thonder

English

Etymology

From Middle English blusteren (“to wander about aimlessly”); however, apparently picking up the modern sense from Middle Low German blüstren (“to blow violently”; compare later Low German blustern, blistern). Related to blow, blast. Compare also Saterland Frisian bloasje (“to blow”), bruusje (“to bluster”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?bl?s.t?/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?bl?s.t?/
• (US)
• (General Australian)
• Rhymes: -?st?(r)

Noun

bluster (countable and uncountable, plural blusters)

1. Pompous, officious talk.
2. A gust of wind.
3. Fitful noise and violence.

Synonyms

• (pompous talk): bombast

Translations

Verb

bluster (third-person singular simple present blusters, present participle blustering, simple past and past participle blustered)

1. To speak or protest loudly.

2. To act or speak in an unduly threatening manner.
   • 1774, Edmund Burke, A Speech on American Taxation

     Your ministerial directors blustered like tragic tyrants.

   • 1532, Thomas More, Confutation of Tyndale's Answer

     He bloweth and blustereth out […] his abominable blasphemy.

   • As if therewith he meant to bluster all princes into a perfect obedience to his commands.

3. To blow in strong or sudden gusts.

Translations

Derived terms

Anagrams

• Butlers, Struble, brustle, bustler, butlers, subtler, turbels